Accessibility Tools

  • Content scaling 100%
  • Font size 100%
  • Line height 100%
  • Letter spacing 100%

States of Poetry 2016 - South Australia | 'Back' by Jelena Dinic

by
States of Poetry South Australia - Series One

States of Poetry 2016 - South Australia | 'Back' by Jelena Dinic

by
States of Poetry South Australia - Series One

I walk through my hometown
as an uninvited guest.

Divorced
from communism

the old street has taken back
its maiden name.

I follow the steps of a lost child
watching myself

from the curtains
of memory's windows.

The doors of St Nicholas church
are rusty but open.

Inside familiar faces
and a sign

Buy candles here
they are blessed.

I count how many are needed
for the living

then for the dead
their smaller flames

burning violently
in my eyes.

 

Jelena Dinic

Comment (1)

  • This is such a beautiful and powerful poem. I love the visual imagery: "I follow the steps of a lost child, watching myself from the curtains of memory's windows." The sense of loss is so strong.
    Posted by Haidee
    28 May 2017

Leave a comment

If you are an ABR subscriber, you will need to sign in to post a comment.

If you have forgotten your sign in details, or if you receive an error message when trying to submit your comment, please email your comment (and the name of the article to which it relates) to ABR Comments. We will review your comment and, subject to approval, we will post it under your name.

Please note that all comments must be approved by ABR and comply with our Terms & Conditions.